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redschell

For anyone interested, a link to photos of Harry Eastlack's skeleton:

http://raregeneticdisorder.blogspot.com/2012/09/fop-skeleton...

Wonderful article, as expected from Carl Zimmer, who does such a great job of exploring biological mysteries like this.

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Wow

This snipped sums it better: "To be displayed in human form, skeletons have to be re-articulated or pieced back together with fine wires and glue. As a result of the bridges of bone that formed from FOP flare-ups, Harry Eastlack's skeleton is almost completely fused into one piece, which proved little challenge for the articulator's craft"

How does the articulator go from body -> skeleton when preparing them for display? Is part of the job to (for example), scoop out the brain?

Isn't it to leave a body in lime for a while?

I heard, they cook a delicious stew of you and sell it in Brunswick.

I think basically, the family agrees to an autopsy and there is a branch of medicine, pathology, which specializes in obtaining and preparing tissue samples, primarily for investigation into the causes, progression, and severity of disease. They are the ones that "scoop out the brain" then mount them on slides, stain, etc. With whole skeletons, I'm not sure - usually after autopsy, the "parts" are either put back into the body or otherwise interred in a container. I think maybe the family arranges something w/ the embalmer to remove the muscle and connnective tissue from the skeleton.

I think yes, the process is more or less this, really

After tissue is removed and preserved (samples), then in this case I believe the removal of soft tissue is done chemically, probably with a caustic substance.

Yes, this is as far as I go imagining this. Or maybe there are biological means as well

I saw a show where people make skeleton models and they used a type of bug to clean off the bones. Using certain chemicals would make the bones rubbery, whereas the bugs would leave a perfectly clean bone.

Dirty Jobs?

http://www.episodeguide.us/dirty-jobs/skull-cleaner/episode/...

Dermestid beetles perhaps:

http://www.skulltaxidermy.com/kits.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermestidae

You should watch The Brain Scoop channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/thebrainscoop/videos?view=0

Or if you just want some glimpses of the process: Cleaning bones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJJKUEhz790#t=331s Scooping brain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhiLfGfucic#t=826s

As the article mentions, Harry Eastlack's skeleton is on display -- along with many other medical anomalies -- at the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. It's an interesting museum and definitely worth a visit if you are nearby:

http://www.collegeofphysicians.org/mutter-museum/

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